The coldest Super Bowl in history took place between the Cowboys and Dolphins in 1972 (yes, I refuse to use the Roman Numerals because I'm a rebel like that). On that night, the thermostat in Tulane Stadium read 39 degrees at kickoff. It will assuredly dip lower next Sunday at MetLife Stadium, the super bold location for the NFL's annual spectacle.

The pressure has never been higher for Peyton Manning, the greatest quarterback with the average playoff record and the bad rap in below-average temperatures and messy precipitation. The attention has reached Category 5 for Hanrahan and the tri-state meteorologists entrusted with the task of predicting said temperature and precipitation.

"I think before the game, there's going to be a huge amount of pressure, both on the local weather community and also the NFL to get the forecast right," Hanrahan said. "I'd say normally within six or seven days, we'll start seeing things, and by three days out we can start pinning down details."

Potential for the elements has given the sports world some new, important names: Amy Freeze, ABC meteorologist in New York. Janice Huff, chief meteorologist for NBC New York. Lee Golberg of ABC.

And Hanrahan, who feels about weather the same way Peyton Manning feels about pre-snap reads. In high school, Hanrahan knew he'd be a meteorologist. He was always obsessed with snowstorms, tornadoes and hurricanes. So he studied meteorology at Penn State, went to grad school at SUNY at Albany and landed back in his home state of Connecticut with NBC 30. He's also always been a Patriots fans.

"When you're a Brady fan, you look at Peyton Manning and you sort of groan," Hanrahan said. "You respect him, but you don't like him."

Even Pats fans must admit: Manning very well may be the best ever at his position. Yet anybody who wants to make an argument against Manning has a compelling one. He owns a Dallas Cowboy-like 11-11 career postseason record. Because he spent so many years in the Indianapolis Colts dome, Manning has played only 11 games that kicked off with a temperature below 32 degrees. He's 4-7 in those contests, according to CBSSports.com.

If Manning loses next Sunday, if he drops to 1-2 in Super Bowls and retires with a single ring, the case against him will always exist -- fair or unfair.

Now that's pressure.

But next Sunday there will be 22 starters, not one. There will be others, not just the meteorologists, in the news this week. This guy named Richard Sherman may say some things.

Here's all you need to know about him: Richard Sherman makes Deion Sanders look like a pimply-faced, 120-pound high school freshman who breaks out in a cold sweat at the mere thought of playing special teams in the JV game. That's how arrogant he is.

Although you might not read about it this week, Denver does indeed have defensive players and Seattle does field an offense. I swear. I double-checked.

Don't forget about the Broncos' usually-mediocre, sometimes-atrocious defense, a unit that looked like it was collectively thinking, "Eh, screw it -- we have Peyton" in some games. The classic example: Denver got the ball last in its 51-48 arena football win over Dallas, a shootout that saw the two quarterbacks combine for over 900 yards and nine touchdowns.

You won't see that in East Rutherford. Russell Wilson has topped 300 yards only three times in his 36 starts. He's most dangerous extending plays with his legs, and Seattle is at its best when Wilson is handing off to Marshawn Lynch, a strategy unaffected by Mother Nature.

The strange thing about Lynch: He's a vicious runner who seeks contact from any and every defender, but avoids contact with reporters at all costs. He didn't give a single interview this season until the NFL threatened to fine him $50,000. Then he talked. Sort of.

Here's the transcript, as reported by The Tacoma News-Tribune, of Lynch's Jan. 9 session with the media.

Lynch on the offensive line: "I love them." On Russell Wilson: "I love him." On the wide receivers: "I love them." On how many takes did the Beacon Plumbing commercial take: "Three." The 215-pound Lynch is Seattle's best offensive player, so reporters will be obligated to ask him this week's most pertinent questions. We all know how that'll go.

How do you feel about the weather?

"I love it."

How cold do you think it is?

"Three."

We zero in on certain story lines, but the truth is, so many elements go into winning a football game. Some combination of Lynch's legs and Wilson's arm and the league's best secondary versus history's most dynamic offense will decide who lifts the Lombardi Trophy and who crumbles to the cold, hard MetLife turf next Sunday.

In the meantime, all eyes are on Manning. And, yes, they're also on Hanrahan and his colleagues.